How Much Are Stamps in 2026? Forever Stamp Price + Full USPS Rate Chart

Stamp prices have climbed steadily since 2023, and 2026 is no exception. A standard Forever stamp - the most common stamp Americans buy - costs $0.78 right now, with another increase to $0.82 already scheduled for July 12, 2026. Postcards, international letters, and heavier mail each have their own rates. Skip the price-checking entirely and send mail online - we calculate postage automatically based on weight and destination.

Need to know how many stamps for a heavier letter? See how many stamps to mail a letter for the full weight chart. For total mailing cost beyond just stamps, see how much it costs to mail a letter.

2026 USPS Stamp Prices (Full Chart)

These are the current retail stamp prices effective through July 11, 2026. The Forever stamp rises to $0.82 on July 12, 2026 - prices below the schedule horizon stay current until USPS files a new rate case.

What Are Forever Stamps?

A Forever stamp is a First-Class postage stamp that stays valid at the current 1 oz letter rate no matter how many times USPS raises prices after you buy it. They were introduced in April 2007 at $0.41 and have been the default USPS stamp for individual mailers ever since.

If you buy a Forever stamp today for $0.78, it's worth $0.78 of postage. When the rate goes up to $0.82 on July 12, 2026, that exact same stamp is now worth $0.82. You don't owe USPS the difference. The stamp's face value adjusts automatically with each rate increase, forever.

This is why stockpiling stamps before a rate increase saves real money. If you mail 50 letters a year and buy 100 stamps now at $0.78 instead of $0.82, you save $4.00 - small per stamp, meaningful over time, and you're hedged against the next 2-3 rate hikes.

Forever stamp categories

USPS sells several Forever-style stamps for different mail types:

• First-Class Forever: the standard $0.78 stamp for 1 oz letters
• Postcard Forever: $0.61, valid for postcards forever
• Global Forever: $1.70, valid for 1 oz international letters forever
• Additional Ounce: $0.29, used on top of a Forever stamp for heavier mail (also Forever-priced)
• Non-Machinable Surcharge: $0.44, for square or oddly-shaped envelopes

All Forever stamps adjust upward with rate changes, so the only "fixed price" stamps you'll see are commemorative or specialty issues sold at the current Forever rate.

Forever Stamp Price History (2007-2026)

First-Class letter postage has risen roughly 90% since the Forever stamp debuted in 2007. The pace accelerated in 2023 when USPS launched its Delivering for America 10-year financial plan, which built two scheduled rate increases per year into the budget.

At this pace, expect another increase in early-to-mid 2027 - USPS files rate cases with the Postal Regulatory Commission roughly six months in advance, so watch the USPS newsroom for the next announcement.

Postcard and Greeting Card Stamp Prices

Postcards use a separate, cheaper stamp than letters because they're a flat printed surface with no envelope to process. The current postcard stamp is $0.61, and there's a Postcard Forever version that adjusts with future rate changes the same way the letter Forever stamp does.

Greeting cards are trickier. Most greeting cards in standard envelopes weigh 1 oz or less and use the regular $0.78 Forever stamp. But two situations trigger extra postage:

• Square envelopes (common for invitations and Save-the-Date cards) - automatic +$0.44 non-machinable surcharge
• Lumpy or rigid contents - confetti, ribbon, hard inserts, glitter - also +$0.44 non-machinable
• Oversized cards over 6 1/8 inches tall or 11 1/2 inches long count as flats - $1.63 starting

If you're mailing wedding invitations in square envelopes, you'll typically need 1 Forever stamp + the non-machinable surcharge stamp. Many stationery shops sell the combined invitation stamp pre-priced to cover both.

International Stamp Prices

A Global Forever stamp covers a 1 oz letter to any country in the world for $1.70. It's the same price for Canada, Mexico, the UK, Japan, Australia - everywhere. There's no separate cheaper rate for nearby countries the way there used to be a decade ago.

For heavier international letters, you'll need to weigh the envelope and buy First-Class Mail International postage at a USPS counter (or print online). Rates rise steeply with weight - a 2 oz international letter is roughly $2.45, and a 3 oz international letter is closer to $3.20. See First-Class Mail International for the full breakdown.

Where to Buy Stamps (Cheapest to Most Convenient)

All these sources sell stamps at face value or close to it. Forever stamps don't have a "best deal" - the price is fixed by USPS - but availability and convenience vary.

Cheaper Alternatives to Stamps

If you're mailing more than a few letters a month, three options can beat retail stamp pricing:

1. Print online and skip stamps entirely

Online mail services print, stuff, stamp, and mail your letters for a flat per-letter fee. The Letter Pilot starts at $4.99 per letter (including USPS First-Class postage), which is more than a stamp - but the labor savings (no printing, no stuffing, no driving to a mailbox) pay off if you mail 5+ letters a week. See our online letter service for details.

2. Buy commercial postage software

Stamps.com and Pitney Bowes SendPro charge $15-30/month subscriptions and discount postage 5-10% off retail rates. Worth it only if you mail 100+ pieces a month - the monthly fee eats the savings on lower volumes.

3. USPS Connect Local (business only)

Available only to commercial mailers shipping locally. Discounted First-Class rates for businesses sending mail within the same metro area. Not relevant for individual mailers.

4. Hand-cancel and bypass machinable issues

If your envelope would normally trigger a $0.44 non-machinable surcharge (square shape, rigid contents), you can sometimes avoid it by asking a Post Office clerk to hand-cancel the envelope. This works for low-volume mail like wedding invitations - bring the unmailed batch to the counter and ask. Not always granted.

FAQs

Last updated May 21, 2026 - USPS retail prices verified against the official Notice 123 effective April 26, 2026.